Italian media reported Saturday evening that seven people were injured in a ramming and stabbing incident in the center of Modena, in northern Italy. According to the reports, the suspect, who was driving a Citroen C3, accelerated and struck pedestrians at high speed before crashing into a store. Two of the injured were in serious condition.
La Repubblica reported that the driver, who was also injured in the crash, tried to flee on foot and stabbed a man who attempted to block his path. According to the report, he was later arrested by police after several other civilians chased him and helped capture him.
The suspect’s identity has not yet been released, but Italian news agency ANSA reported that he is a man in his 30s, an Italian citizen of "foreign origin," who was born and lives in Modena. He has no criminal record. Authorities have not yet said what the motive was or whether the ramming was intentional.
Modena Mayor Massimo Mezzetti, who arrived at the scene, said the attacker is of "North African" origin and is now being questioned by authorities. According to the mayor, "it appears he tried to attack someone," but he stressed that the circumstances are still under investigation. An eyewitness who spoke with ANSA said the car suddenly accelerated: "It was traveling at least 100 kph. We saw people flying."